Railway-switch.



H. TATUM.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION rum) SEPT. a, 1913.

1,094,268, Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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I RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1913.

1,094,268. Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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HAMLING TAT'UM, OF ELIBA, ALABAMA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Application filed September 3, 1913. Serial. No. 787,954..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAMLING TATUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elba, in the county of Coflee and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in railway switches and has particular application to automatic switches for railways whereby the switch points may be automatically thrown so that traiiic over the main line may be shunted onto a siding or branch line or continue on the main line, as desired.

In carrying out the present invention, it my purpose to provide an automatic switch throwing mechanism and a car carried operating mechanism for such switch throwing mechanism whereby the motorman or engineer in charge of the car may, when approaching the switch, bring about the operation of the switch throwing mechanism to throw the switch points in one direction or the other whereby such car may proceed uninterruptedly over the main line past the switch, or be shunted onto the siding or branch line controlled by the switch.

It is also my purpose to provide an automatic switch throwing mechanism and a car carried operating mechanism therefor whereby a train approaching the switch from the branch line or siding may operate the switch points so that such train may enter the main line, and whereby when traffic has been reversed on the main line, the car approaching the switch from the rear may manipulate the switch points so as to close the siding to the main line so that the car may proceed uninterruptedly in its direction of travel.

Furthermore, I aim to provide a switch throwing mechanism and an operating mechanism therefor which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and durability and one which may be installed and maintained at a minimum expense.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thevconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a top plan view of a switch equipped with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through the trackway showing a car mounted thereon and carrying the op erating mechanism for the switch throwing mechanism. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism removed from the car. Fig. 4c is a vertical sectional view through the same. Fig. 5 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. a. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation, showing a modified form of operating mechanism; and Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view through the same.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, 1, 1 designates the rails of the main line, while 2, 2 indicates the rails of the branch line or siding and 8 the movable switch point controlling traflic from the main line onto the siding or branch line and vice versa. The rail of the main line immediately adjacent to the switch point 3 is formed with a horizontal slot 4:, while the opposite rail is formed with a similar slot 5 alining with a like slot 6 formed in a strip 7 disposed between the lines of rails immediately adjacent to the movable switch point. Arranged in advance of the switch point 3 is a pair of bearing blocks 5, the blocks of such pair being disposed at the outer sides of the rails of the trackway and suitably secured to such rails or to the ties as desired. Fulcrumed within each block 5 is a lever 6 having the end thereof adjacent to the switch inturned as at 7, while the free end is turned outwardly and has bolted or otherwise secured to the upper side of such outturncd portion a substantially triangular block 8 having the apex thereof facing the rail. In the present instance, the inturned end 7 of one of the levers is projected through the slot 4t in the respective rail and contacts with the adjacent surface of the movable switch point, while the similarly formed end of the other lever has pivotally connected thereto as at 8 a link 9 pivotally connected as at 10 to the movable switch point and working through the alining slots 5 and 6 in the rail and strip 7 respectively.

Each car operating over the line is equipped with an operating mechanism for the switch throwing mechanism and such operating mechanism embodies a pair of operating devices located at each end of the car adjacent to the opposite sides thereof so that when the car approaches the switch forward end of the car may operate to actuate the switch throwing mechanism and so throw the switch points according to the path the car is to take. On the other hand, should the car be beyond the switch or at the rear of the switch points and traffic reversed, the flanges of the car wheels will actuate the switch points to the desired posit-ionand according to whether such car at the rear of the switch points is on the main line or the branch line.

Each operating device embodied in the operating mechanism comprises a base block 9 suitably bolted to the floor of the car at the respective end thereof and carrying upwardly extending standards 10, 1O spaced apart in parallelism and provided at their upper ends with an axle or shaft spanning the space between the standards and equipped with a sheave wheel 11. Connected at one end to each standard 10 is a segment 12 having the free end thereof suitably bolted to the floor of a car as at 13 and the upper edge of one of the segments 12 toothed as at 14, these segments being spaced apart. in parallel relation. Fastened to the floor of the car between the segments 12, 12 as by bolts 15 is a fulcrum block 16 and within the fulcrum block is pivoted one extremity of a lever 17 projecting upwardly between the segments 12, 12 and having the upper portion thereof above the segments circular in cross section as at 18 and formed with a vertical bore 18 adjacent to one side of the center line of the lever and opening onto the toothed surface 14 of the respective segment l2. Slidably mounted within the bore 18 in the lever 17 is a rod 19 having the upper end thereof equipped with a manipulating knob 20 and the lower end formed to provide a dog 21 designed to engage the toothed surface of the respective segment 12. Extending through the bore 18 and secured thereto at diametrically opposite points is a pin 22 passed through an elongated slot 28 formed in the rod 19, while encircling the rod 19 below the pin 22 is a coiled expansion spring 24 having one end bearing against the pin and the opposite end resting upon the shoulder formed at the junction of the dog 21 with the rod, such spring acting to force the dog into engagement with the teeth 14 of the segment. Extending through a transverse passage in the lever 17 to one side of the bore 18 in such lever is a pin having one end thereof formed to provide an eye 26 adapted to re ceive one extremity of a chain 27 trained over the sheave 11, while slidably mounted within a casing 28 depending from the floor of the car in alinement with an opening in such floor is a bar 29 having the upper end thereof connected to the free extremity of the chain 27 and the lower end equipped with a right angular-1y extending foot 30 30 are at the limit of downward movement and should the car approach the switch, such foot will contact with the respective plate 8 and so swing the lever 6 with the effect to throw the switch points to the desired position. In order to limit the down ward mow'ement of the bar 29 and foot 30 under the action of gravity so as to relieve the chain 27 of the weight of such bar and foot and the latter may be active, I form a slot 32 in the bar and pass through such slot a pin 33 carried by the opposite walls of the casing 28, the pin serving to limit the downward movement of the bar and holding the same when in lowered position. hen it is desired to move the foot 30 so as to render the respective operating device inactive, the lever 17 is swung about its fulcrum thereby moving the bar 29 and foot 30 in an upward direction under the action of the chain 27, the dog 21 engaging the teeth 14 on the respective segment 12 to hold the lever in inactive position. By drawing the rod 19 upwardly within the bore 18 in the lever, the'dog 21 may be moved out of engagement with the teeth 14 and the lever swung to lower'the foot, as will be readily apparent.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation and Surrounding manner of employing my invention will be readily understood. Assuming a car to be approaching the switch and the switch points in open position so that com1nunication is established between the main line and branch line and it is desired to close the switch so that the car may proceed in its path of travel over the main line, the operating device on the forward end of the car adjacent to the left hand side of such car, is rendered active, as illustrated in Fig. 2 whereby the foot 80 carried by the bar 29 gravitates to lowered position and so engages the respective inclined edge of the plate 8 with the effect to swing the respec tive lever 6 about its fulcrum on the plate 5, thereby throwing the switch point to the desired position.

In the modified form of operating mechanism illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, I employ a casing 40 constructed of any suitable material and preferably of rectangular contour in cross section. This casingis passed through an opening in the floor of the motormans platform and surrounds the upper end thereof and suitably bolted to the floor is a wear plate 41. Formed on the casing is a bore a2 having the lower portion thereof of noncircular contour, as at 32, and the upper portion cylindrical, as at 44, the junction of the non-circular portion with the cylindrical portion forminga shoulder 4C5. Seated upon this shoulder 45 and disposed concentric of the axis of the bore is a coiled expansion spring 46 surrounding a shank 47 mounted for sliding movement within the bore and having the lower portion thereof of a configuration corresponding with that of the non-circular portion of the bore 42 so that turning movement of the shank within the casing is avoided. The lower end of this shank is bifurcated or forked, as at 48 and fastened within such bifurcated portion and extending at right angles thereto is the shoe 30, while formed on the upper end of the shank is a head d9 bearing on the upper eX- tremity of the expansion spring 46, such spring acting to hold the shank and the shoe at the lower end thereof in elevated position. Removably mounted within the upper end of the bore 42 in the casing 40 is a plunger 50 adapted to bear upon the head a9 and disposed within convenient reach of the foot of the motorman of the car so that by depressing the plunger the shank and shoe will be lowered to actuate the switch operating mechanism, as previously described with reference to the preferred form of operating mechanism.

In practice a casing 40 is disposed at each end of the car while but a single plunger is employed, the plunger being carried from one end of the car to the other by the motorman according to the direction of travel.

It will be seen that I have provided an automatic switch throwing mechanism and a car carried operating mechanism therefor whereby the switch points may be thrown to any desired position while the car is in m0- tion.

lVhile I have herein shown and described certain forms of my invention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with an automatic switch throwing mechanism, of an operating device therefor comprising a base, standards uprising from the base and spaced apart in parallelism, segments secured to said standards and spaced apart, an operating lever fulcrumed between said segments and having the upper portion thereof circular in cross section and formed with a vertical bore at one side of the center line of the lever, a rod slidably mounted within said bore, a dog carried by the end of said rod and engaging one of said segments to hold the lever in any desired position, means normally forcing said dog into engagement with the respective segment, means for sliding said rod against the action of the first means to withdraw the dog from en agement with the respective segment, a foot adapted to contact with said switch throwing mechanism to operate the latter, and connections between said foot and lever.

2. The combination with an automatic switch throwing mechanism, of an operating device therefor comprising a base, standards uprising from the base and spaced apart in parallelism, segments secured to said standards and spaced apart, an operating lever fulcrumed between said segments and having the upper portion thereof circular in cross section and formed with a vertical bore at one side of the center line thereof, a rod slidably mounted within said bore, a dog carried by the lower end of said rod and en gaging one of said segments to hold the lever in adjusted position, a spring surrounding said rod and normally holding said dog in engagement with the respective segment, means for sliding said rod against the action of said spring to withdraw the dog from engagement with the respective segment, a foot adapted to contact with said switch throwing mechanism to operate the latter, and connections between said foot and lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HAMLING TATUM.

Witnesses S. C. POWELL, M. W. DUNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

